CROSS. Crucifixion The meaning of the death of Christ. The difference between the Orthodox Cross from the Catholic.

Among all Christians, only Orthodox and Catholics, reveal crosses and icons. Crosses decorate the dome of churches, their homes, wear on the neck. As for Protestants, they do not recognize such a symbol as a cross and do not wear it. The cross for Protestants is a symbol of a shameful execution, an instrument by which the Savior not only caused great pain, but also killed him.

The reason why man wears, everyone has its own. Someone thus gives tribute to fashion, for someone, a cross is a beautiful jewelry, someone he brings good luck and is used as a talisman. But there are those for whom dressed when baptized, a native cross is indeed a symbol of their infinite faith.

The meaning of the death of the Savior

As known, The emergence of the Christian Cross is associated with the martyrdom of Jesus Christ, which he took on the crossaccording to the forced sentence of Pontius Pilate. The crucifixion on the cross was a common way to execute in an ancient Rome borrowed from Carthaginian - descendants of the Phoenician colonists (it is believed that the crucifixion was used for the first time in Phenicia). Usually, the robbers sentenced to death on the cross; Many early Christians who were persecuted, starting with the times of Nero, were also executed in this way.

Before the sufferings of Christ, the cross was a shame and terrible punishment. After his sufferings, he became a symbol of the victory of good over evil, life over death, a reminder of the infinite God's love, the subject of joy. The embodied son of God, his blood consecrated the cross and made him the guide of his grace, the source of consecration of believers.

From the Orthodox dogma of the cross (or redemption) undoubtedly follows the thought that the death of the Lord is the redemption of all , vocation of all nations. Only a cross, unlike other executions, gave the opportunity to Jesus Christ to die with open hands, calling for "all ends of the earth" (Is. 45:22).

Reading the gospel, we are convinced that the god feat of the Bozhoralovek is a central event in his earthly life. He washed off our sins with his own suffering, covered our debt before God or, in the language of Scripture, we were "redeemed" (bought). In Calvary hidden, incomprehensible the mystery of the endless truth and love of God.

The Son of God voluntarily took the guilt of all people and suffered for her shameful and painful death on the cross; Then the third day was resurrected as a winner of hell and death.

Why did such a terrible victim need to cleanse the sins of mankind and did you exist to save people to others less painful?

Christian doctrine about the godfather of the Godhead is often the "stumbling block" For people with already extinguished religious philosophical concepts. Both many Jews and the people of Greek culture of apostolic times seemed contradictory statement that almighty and eternal God came up to the land in the form of a mortal man, voluntarily underwent a beat, debris and shameful deaththat this feat could bring the spiritual benefit to humanity. "It's impossible!"- objected one; "It's not needed!" - Approved others.

St. Apostle Paul in his message to Corinthians says: "Christ sent me not to baptize me, but to gnaw, not in the wisdom of the word, so as not to abolish the Cross of Christ. For the word about the cross for dying people are, and for us, saved, is the power of God. For it is written: I will guide the wisdom of the wise men, and reasonable wisdom rejected. Where is the sage? Where is the scribe? Where is the Wisdom of this world? For the wisdom of this world in madness? For when the world was not wisdom to know God in the wisdom of God, it was well-known to God for the preaching to save believers. for and Jews demand wonders and ELLINA are looking for wisdom; and we preach the crucified Christ, for the Jews temptation, and for ELLINIONS, the madness, for themselves called, Jews and Eller, Christ, God and God's wisdom " (1 Cor. 1: 17-24).

In other words, the apostle explained that that in christianity some perceived as Temptation I. madness, in fact, is the case of the greatest divine wisdom and omnipotence. The truth of the redemptive death and the resurrection of the Savior is the foundation for many other Christian truths, for example, to consecrate the believers, about the sacraments, about the meaning of suffering, about the virtues, about the feat, about the purpose of life, about the upcoming court and resurrection of the dead and others.

Wherein, the redeeming death of Christ, being an event inexplicable in the concepts of earthly logic and even "seductive for dying," he has a reviving force that the believer hearts feels and to whom. The updated and warmed by this spiritual force, with trepidation bowed to Calval as the last slaves and the most powerful kings; Like dark ignoramuses and the greatest scientists. After the descent of St. The Spirit of the Apostles with personal experiences were convinced of what great spiritual benefits would bring them the redeeming death and resurrection of the Savior, and they were shared by this experience with their disciples.

(The secret of the redeeming of humanity is closely related to a number of important religious and psychological factors. Therefore, to clarify the secrecy of redemption.

a) understand what the sinful damage of the person actually consists and the weakening of his will to resist evil;

b) It is necessary to understand how the devilish will, thanks to sin, was able to influence and even captive the human will;

c) It is necessary to understand the mysterious power of love, its ability to positively influence the person and ennoble him. At the same time, if love is most revealing himself in the sacrificial ministry, then, it is undoubted that the return of his life is the highest manifestation of love;

d) from understanding the power of human love should be elevated before understanding the power of the Divine Love and how she penetrates the soul of the believer and transforms his inner world;

e) In addition, in the redemptive death of the Savior there is a party outside the human world, namely: the battle between God and Gordy Dennica occurred on the cross, in which God, hiding under the guise of a weak flesh, came out the winner. The details of this spiritual battle and the Divine Victory remain a secret for us. Even angels, according to the AP. Peter, do not fully understand the secret of redemption (1 Peter. 1:12). She is a sealed book that only the Lamb of God could reveal (from. 5: 1-7)).

In Orthodox ascetic, there is such a thing as the carry of his cross, that is, the patient performance of Christian commandments throughout the life of a Christian. All difficulties, both external and internal, are referred to as "Cross." Everyone carries their life cross. About the need for a personal feat of the Lord said so: "Who does not take his cross (evades the feat) and follows me (calls himself a Christian), that inadequate me" (Matt. 10:38).

"Cross keeper of the whole universe. The cross is the beauty of the church, the cross of the kings of the Power, the cross is faithful to the statement, the cross the angel of Glory, the cross of the demons of an ulcer ", - Approves the absolute truth of the holiday of the exaltation of the life-giving cross.

The motives of the outrageous desecration and saint of the holy cross conscious crusading and crosses are quite explained. But when we see Christians drawn into this vigilant case, it is impossible to be silent, because - according to the word of St. Vasily the Great - "God aroused silence"!

Form of the Cross

Four-pointed cross

Today, stores and church benches offer a wide variety of crosses of various shapes. However, very often not only parents gathered to baptize the child, but also sellers consultants cannot clarify where the Orthodox cross, and where the Catholic, although to distinguish them, in fact, is very simple.In the Catholic tradition - a quadrangular cross, with three nails. In Orthodoxy there are four-end crosses, six and eight-pointed, with four nails for hands and legs.

So, in the West, the most common is four-pointed cross . Starting from the III century, when, for the first time, such crosses appeared in Roman catacombs, the entire Orthodox East and today uses this shape of the cross as even to everyone else.

For Orthodoxy, the shape of the cross does not have much importance, much more attention is paid to the fact that it depictsHowever, the greatest popularity was received by eight-pointed and six-pointed crosses.

Eight-pointed Orthodox Cross the most corresponds to the historically reliable form of the cross, on which Christ was already crucified.The Orthodox Cross, which is most often used by the Russian and Serbian Orthodox churches, contains, except for a large horizontal crossbar, two more. Top symbolizes a sign on the Cross of Christ with the inscription "Jesus Nazarenin, Tsar Jews" (INCI, or INRI in Latin). The lower slanting of the crossbar - the backup for the feet of Jesus Christ symbolizes "Merilo righteous", weighing sins and the virtues of all people. It is believed that it is tilted on the left side, symbolizing the fact that the repentable robber, crucified by the right of Christ, (first) hit the paradise, and the robber, crucified on the left side, his own degree of Christ, even more aggravated his posthumous fate and got in hell. The letters of IC HC are a Christogram symbolizing the name of Jesus Christ.

Saint Dimitri Rostovsky writes that "When Christ, the Lord on his shoulders wearing a cross then the cross was still four-spin; Because there was no Title on it, nor foot. There was no foot, because Christ is not raised on the cross and warriors, not knowing what place to get the legs of Christ, did not attach the foot, finished it already on Calvary ". There was also no Title on the cross before the crucifixion of Christ, because, as the Gospel reports, first "crucified it" (John 19:18), and then only "Pilate wrote an inscription and put on the cross" (John 19:19 ). It was first that the lots were shared by the "clothes" of the warriors "attending it" (Matt. 27:35), and only then "His inscription put on his head, meaning the guilt of it: this is Jesus, the king of the Jews" (Matt. 27:37).

The eight-pointed cross for a long time is considered the most powerful protective agent from various kinds of non-fat, as well as visible and invisible evil.

Six-pin cross

Widespread among Orthodox believers, especially in the days of ancient Russia, also had six-pin cross . It also has inclined crossbind: the lower end symbolizes an unrecorded sin, and the upper is released by repentance.

but not in the form of the cross or the number of ends is all its strength. The cross is famous for the power of the crucified Christ on it, and all the symbolism and the miraculousness of it in this.

The manifold of the forms of the cross has always been recognized by the Church is quite natural. According to the expression of the Rev. Feodor Studit - "The cross of every form is the true cross" andit has unearthly beauty and life-giving power.

"There is a significant difference between Latin, Catholic, Byzantine, and Orthodox crosses, as between any other crosses used by Christians. In essence, all crosses are the same, differences only in the form "- says Serbian Patriarch Irina.

Crucifixion

In the Catholic and Orthodox churches, there is no particular importance to the shape of the cross, but the image of Jesus Christ on it.

Until the IX century, the Christ was inclusive on the cross not only alive, resurrected, but also triumphant, and only in the century images of the Dead Christ appeared.

Yes, we know that Christ died on the cross. But we know that then he was resurrected, and that he suffered voluntarily from love for people: to teach us to take care of the immortal soul; So that we can also resurrect and live forever. In the Orthodox crucifixion, this Easter joy is always present. therefore in the Orthodox Cross, Christ does not die, but freely extends his hands, the palms of Jesus are open, as if he wants to hug all mankind, giving them his love and opening the way to eternal life. He is not a dead body, but God, and his whole image speaks about it.

The Orthodox Cross over the main horizontal crossbar there is another, smaller, which symbolizes the sign on the Cross of Christ with an objection. Because Pondi Pilate did not find how to describe the guilt of Christ, the words appeared on the plate "Jesus Nazoria Tsar Judaisky" In three languages: Greek, Latin and Aramaus. On Latin in Catholicism This inscription has the view Inri , and in Orthodoxy - Ihtsi. (either Іnhі, "іisus Nazaryanin, king of the іudia"). Lower oblique crossbar symbolizes backup for legs. She also symbolizes two robbers crucified to the left and right of Christ. One of them was redeemed in his sins before his death, for which he was awarded the kingdom of heaven. The other is the same before the death of Hoolil and poured his executioners and Christ.

Absorption is placed above the middle crossbar: "IS" "Xs" - the name of Jesus Christ; And under it: "NIKA" — Winner.

On the cross of the Savior Savior, the Greek letters have written UN Meaning - "True-purpose" , because "God told Moses: I am visiting" (Ex. 3:14), discovering its own name, expressing selfishness, eternity and immutability of the beings of God.

In addition, nails were kept in Orthodox Byzantium, which the Lord was nailed to the cross. And it was exactly known that their four, and not three. therefore on the Orthodox crosses of the legs of Christ are nailed with two nails, each separately. The image of Christ with crossed feet, naught one nail, first appeared, as an innovation, in the West in the second half of the XIII century.

In a catholic crucifixion the image of Christ has naturalistic features. Catholics depict Christ dead, sometimes with blood streams on his face, from wounds on hands, legs and rhers ( stigmata). It manifests all human suffering, flour, which had to experience Jesus. His hands are kept under the severity of the body. The image of Christ on the Catholic Cross is believable, but this is an image of a dead person, while there is no hint of the triumph of victory over death. Crucifixion in Orthodoxy just symbolizes this celebration. In addition, the legs of the Savior are nailed with one nail.

Differences of the Catholic and Orthodox Cross

Thus, there are the following differences in the Catholic Cross from the Orthodox:

1. most often has an eight-pointed or six-pointed form. - four-sided.
2. Words on a tablet on crosses are the same, only written in different languages: Latin Inri (in the case of the Catholic Cross) and Slavic-Russian Ihtsi. (on the Orthodox Cross).
3. Another principal position is position of the legs on crucifixes and the number of nails . The legs of Jesus Christ are located together on a Catholic crucifixion, and each is nailed separately on the Orthodox Cross.
4. Various is image of the Savior on the Cross . At the Orthodox Cross, God, who discovered the path to eternal life, was depicted, and on a Catholic man, who experienced flour.

Material prepared Sergey Shalyak

for the Temple of the Liberal Trinity on the Sparrow Mountains

Ankh - a symbol known as the Egyptian cross, a cross with a loop, Circle of Ansat, "Cross with a handle". Ankh - a symbol of immortality. Combines the cross (symbol of life) and the circle (symbol of eternity). Its form can be interpreted as a rising sun, as the unity of opposites, like a male and feminine.
Ankh symbolizes the Union of Osiris and Isides, the Union of the Earth and the sky. The sign was used in hieroglyphs, he was part of the words "welfare" and "happiness."
The symbol was applied to the amulets to extend life on Earth, he was buried with him to guarantee their lives in the world in a world. The key opening the gate of death looks like an ANK. In addition, the amulets with the image of Ankha helped with infertility.
Ankh is a magic symbol of wisdom. It can be found in many images of the deities and clergy of the times of Egyptian pharaohs.
It was believed that this symbol could save from flooding, so it was depicted on the walls of the channels.
Later, the ANCH was used by the sorcerers with a vorozh, fortunate, healing.

CELTIC CROSS

Celtic cross, sometimes called jona cross or a round cross. The circle symbolizes both the sun and eternity. This cross, which appeared in Ireland until the 8th century, may occur from "chi-ro", a monogram from the written in Greek first two letters named after Christ. Often this cross is decorated with carved figures, animals and biblical scenes, such as the sin of man or sacrifice of Isaac.

Latin Cross

The Latin Cross is the most common Christian religious symbol in the Western world. According to the tradition, it is believed that it was from this cross, Christ was removed, hence his other name - Crucifixion cross. Usually, the cross is a raw tree, but sometimes it is covered with gold, which symbolizes fame, or red spots (the blood of Christ) on the green (tree of life).
This form, so similar to the man who spread his hands, symbolized God in Greece and China long before the appearance of Christianity. Rising the cross symbolized the kindness from the Egyptians.

Cross Bottoni

Cross with clover leaves, called Bottonian Cross in Heraldry. Clover leaf is a symbol of the Trinity, and the cross expresses the same idea. It is also used to designate the resurrection of Christ.

Cross Peter

The cross of St. Peter from the 4th century is one of the symbols of St. Peter, which, as believed, was crucified head down in 65 AD. During the rule in Rome Emperor Nero.
Some Catholics use this cross as a symbol of humility, humility and non-understanding in comparison with Christ.
A cristed cross is sometimes associated with its satanists using it.

Russian Cross

The Russian cross, also called "Eastern" or "Cross Sv. Lazari", the symbol of the Orthodox Church in East Mediterranean, Eastern Europe and Russia. The top of three transverse crossbars is called "titulus", where the name was written, as in the Patriarchal Cross. Lower crossbar symbolizes footrest.

Cross World

The cross of the world is a symbol developed by Gerald Holtom in 1958 for the "Nuclear Disarmament Movement". For this symbol, Holtom inspired the semaphore alphabet. He made a cross from its symbols for "n" (nuclear, nuclear) and "d" (disarmament, disarmament), and placed them in a circle, which symbolized the global agreement. This symbol has attracted public attention after the first protest march from London to the Center for Nuclear Research in Berkshire on April 4, 1958. Soon this cross was one of the most common signs of the 60s, symbolizing both the world and anarchy.

SWASTIKA

Swastika is one of the most ancient and, since the twentieth century, the most controversial characters.
The name comes from SUNSKrit words "Su" ("Good") and "Asti" ("Genesis"). The symbol is common everywhere and most often associated with the sun. Swastika is a sunny wheel.
Swastika is a symbol of rotation around the fixed center. Rotation from which life arises. In China, the swastika (lei veins) once symbolized the parties of the world, and then acquired the value ten thousand (the number of infinity). Sometimes the swastika was called "the seal of the Buddha Hearts".
It was believed that the swastika brings happiness, but only when her ends bent clockwise. If the ends are bent counterclockwise, the swastuby is called saousevastics and has a negative impact.
Swastika is one of the early symbols of Christ. In addition, the swastika was a symbol of many gods: Zeus, Helios, Gera, Artemis, Torah, Agni, Brahma, Vishnu, Shiva and many others.
In the Masonic tradition, the swastika is a symbol of distinguishing evil and trouble.
In the twentieth century, the swastika acquired a new meaning, a swastika or Hakenkreuz ("hooked cross") became a symbol of Nazism. Since August 1920, the swastika has become used on Nazi banners, smokers, sleeves. In 1945, all forms of swastika were banned by the Allied Occupational authorities.

Cross Konstantin

The cross of Constantine is a monogram, known as "Chi-Ro", in the form consisting of X (Greek letter "Hee") and P ("Ro"), the first two letters of Christ in Greek.
The legend says that it was this cross Emperor Konstantin who saw in the sky on the road to Rome to his co-guard and at the same time enemy Maxentiya. Together with the cross, he saw an inscription in hoc vinces - "Won with it." According to another legend, he saw a cross in a dream on the night before the battle, while the emperor heard the voice: In Hoc Signo Visces (you will win with this). Both legends argue that this prediction was consistent with Constantine in Christianity. He made a monogram with his emblem, placing her on his Labarum, the imperial standard, instead of an eagle. The ensuing victory at the Milvian bridge near Rome on October 27, 312 made him the only emperor. After, an edict was issued, allowing the confession of the Christian religion in the empire, believers no longer pursued, and this monogram, which Christians used secretly, became the first generally accepted symbol of Christianity, and also gained wide fame as a sign of victory and salvation.

Why should I wear a native cross

The native cross (in Russia it is called "Tannik") holdson us in the sacrament of baptism in pursuance of the words of the Lord Jesauachrist: "Who wants to go behind me, turnover, and take your cross, and follow me" (MK. 8, 34). The native cross helps to transfer diseases and adversity, strengthens the Spirit, protects against evil..Video and in difficult circumstances. The cross "always for believers is a great strength that saves from any angry, especially from the villainance of hated enemies," writes the Holy Righteous John Kronstadt.

Upon consecration, the priest reads two special prayers in which the Lord God asks God, so that he will blow heavenly power to the cross and that this cross kept not only the soul, but also the body from all enemies, sorcerers, sorcerers, from all sorts of evil forces. That is why on many native crosses there is an inscription "Save and Save!".

How to choose a native cross and child

The native cross is not a jewelry.No matter how beautiful it is, from what kind of precious metal he would not be made, it is primarily a visible symbol of Christian faith.

Orthodox crosses have a very ancient tradition and therefore are very diverse in their own way, depending on the time and place of manufacture. The traditional Orthodox Cross has an eight-pointed form.

Revered the cross, love for him is manifested in the wealth and diversity of his decorations. The native crosses have always been distinguished by a variety of both in the choice of material from which they were made - gold, silver, copper, bronze, tree, bone, amber, and their shape. And therefore, when choosing a cross, it is necessary to pay attention not to the metal, from which the cross is made, and that the shape of the cross is the Orthodox tradition, which will be discussed below.

Is it possible to wear crosses with a catholic crucifix

The Iconography of the Orthodox Crucifixion received its final dogmatic substantiation in 692 in the 82nd rule of the Trulian Cathedral, approved by the Canon iconographic image of the crucifixion. The main condition of the canon is the combination of historical realism with the realism of Divine Revelation. The figure of the Savior expresses the divine peace and greatness. She, as it were, is imposed on the cross and the Lord opens their arms to everyone to him.

In this iconography, the complex dogmatic task of the image of the two Ipostasses of Christ - the human and the Divine - showing both death, and the victory of the Savior at the same time, is solved. Catholics, abandoning their early glances, did not understand and did not take the rules of the Trulian Cathedral and, accordingly, the symbolic spiritual image of Jesusacher.

So in the Middle Ages there is a new type of crucifixion, in which the prevailing features of the naturalism of human suffering and the flour of the godgroup become the predominant: the severity of the body saving on the elongated hands, the head, crowned with a thorns crown, crossed feet is heard in one nail (innovation of the late XIII century) Anatomical details of the Catholic image Transferring the truthfulness of the execution itself, nevertheless hiding the main thing - t the orders of the Lord who won the death and the eternal life opening usconcentrate attention on flour and death. Its naturalism has only an external emotional impact, introducing into the temptation of comparing our sinful suffering by the redempuating passions of Christ. Image of a crucible Savior, catholic,meet both Orthodox crosses, especially often in the XVIII-XX centuries, however, as well as prohibited by the stamp cathedralicon painted images of god Father Savaof. Naturally Orthodox piety requires the wearing the cross of the Orthodox, and not Catholic, violating dogmatic Osnons of the Christian faith.

How to sanctify a native cross

To sanctify a native cross, you need to come to the church to the beginning of the service and ask for a clergyman. If worship is already committed, you can seek help to a church worker who will help to transfer the Cross to the priest in the altar. If you wish, you can ask for a consecration of the cross in your presence to participate in prayer.

What to do with the foundation cross

Found a native cross can be kept at home, you can give it to the temple or someone who needs it. Supervising the fact that if we find somewhere lost by someone, then you can not take it, as we take other people's sorrow and temptations, unfounded, since the Lord gives his crusher - his way, his own tests. If you want to wear a found cross, it is necessary to sanctify it.Sometimes they ask whether it is possible to give a native cross. Of course, it is possible. It seems that if, when presenting the cross, a person's expensive for you, you will say that we went to church and already sanctified the cross, he will be doubly pleasant. Specified in relation to the found cross, it is possible to attribute to any "tannik", which for some reason you are not able to wear.

Symbols and mysterious importance of Orthodox crosses

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Cross eight-spinning

The eight-spin cross is the most common in Russia. Above the middle crossbar of this cross, which is longer than others, there is a direct short crossbar, and under the average crossbar - a short oblique crossbar, the upper end is turned to the north, the bottom, - south.

The upper small crossbar symbolizes a plate with an inscription made by order of Pilate in three languages, and the lower footage, which was leaked by the legs of the Savior, depicted in the opposition.

The form of this cross most of all corresponds to the cross, on which Christ was crucified. Therefore, such a cross is not only a sign, but also the image of the Cross of Christ. Upper crossbar is a sign with the words "Jesus Nazi Tsar Jewish", brushed by order of Pilate over the head of the Crupical Savior. The lower crossbar is a footrest, designed to serve to increase the torment of crucified, as the deceptive feeling of some support under his feet encourages the execution of unwittingly trying to alleviate his severity, leaning on it than only the mute is extended. The dogmatically eight ends of the cross mean eight main periods in the history of mankind, where the eighth is the life of the future century, the kingdom of heaven, why one of the ends of such a cross points up into the sky.

It also means that the path to the heavenly kingdom is open by Christ through his redemption, according to his word: "I am a way and truth and life" (John 14, 6). The skeleton of the Savior's legs were nailed, thus means that in the earth's life of people with the coming of Christ, who went on earth with a sermon, was disturbed by the balance of all people without exception under the rule of sin. The world began a new process of spiritual revival of people in Christ and their facilities from the area of \u200b\u200bdarkness in the region of heavenly.

This is the movement of the rescue of people, erecting them from the ground to the sky, corresponding to the legs of Christ as the human movement organ who makes its way, and means obliquely the eight-pointed cross. When the crucified Lord Jesus Christ is depicted on the eight-poin cross, the cross as a whole becomes a complete crucifixion of the Savior and therefore contains all the completeness of the force concluded in the criticism of the Lord, the mysterious presence of Christ Crup. This is a great and terrible shrine.

There are two main types of crucified Savior. The ancient view of the crucifixion depicts Christ with sweeping hands wide and right along the transverse central crossbar: the body does not preserve, and it rests freely on the cross. The second, later appearance, depicts the body of Christ to the chest, hands raised upwards and sides. The second form is a look for the image of the suffering of Christ of our for salvation; Here, the human body of the Savior is visible in torture. But such an image does not pass through the entire dogmatic meaning of these criticism.This sense is concluded in the words of Christ himself, who said to the disciples and the people: "When I will be ascended from the ground, I will attract everyone" (John 12, 32).

The first, the ancient kind of crucifixion is just the image of the Son of God asked for the Cross, spreading his hands in the arms, in which the whole world is called and attracted. Keeping the image of the suffering of Christ, this kind of crucifixion at the same time surprisingly exactly the dogmatic depth of his meaning. Christ in his divine love, over which death is not ill and which, suffering, does not suffer in an ordinary sense, stretches their hugs to people from Cross. Therefore, the body does not hang it, but solemnly rests on the cross. Here Christ, crucified and deceased, amazingly alive in his very death. It deeply corresponds to the dogmatic consciousness of the Church.

Attracting the embrace of Christ hands, the entire universe is especially well represented on old bronze crucifixes, where over the groove of the Savior, in the upper end of the cross, is depicted by the Holy Trinity, or God Father and God Spirit Holy in the form of a dove, in the upper short crossbar - the tricks of Christ Angelic ranks; The right garbage of Christ is depicted by the sun, and at the left - the moon, on the slanting crossbar at the legs of the Savior depicts the view of the city as a image of human society, those hazards and the weighs that Christ walked, preaching the Gospel; under the foot of the cross depicted a resting head (skull) of Adam, whose sins of Christ washed his blood, and even lower, under the skull, then the Tree of knowledge of good and evil, which he brought the death of Adam and in him all his descendants and who is opposed now the Tree Cross, Communicating himself and gives eternal life to people.

The Son of God's Son of God, who came in the flesh in the sake of the godfather, and penetrates all the areas of the life of the Divine, Heaven and Earth, fulfills all the creation, the whole universe. Such a crucifix with all his images opens the symbolic meaning and the importance of all ends and crossbar of the cross, helps to understand the numerous interpretations of the crucifix, which are contained by the Holy Fathers and Teachers of the Church, makes the spiritual meaning of those types of cross and crucifixes, on which there are no such detailed images. In particular, it becomes clear that the upper end of the cross marks the area of \u200b\u200bthe existence of God, where God remains in a triplic unity. The separation of God from creatures depicts the upper short crossbar.

In turn, it marks the region of Heavenly Being (the world of angels). The average long crossbar accommodates the concept of everything in general creation, since the sun and the moon are placed here (the sun - as the image of the glory of the Divine, the moon - as an image of the visible world, self-esteem and light from God). Here are the hands of the Son of God, through which everything "began to be" (in. 1, 3). Hands embody the concept of creation, creativity of visible forms. Kosy crossbind is an excellent image of mankind designed to rise, make their way to God. The lower end of the cross marks it from a damn earlier for the sin of Adam Earth (see: Life. 3.17), but now again connected with God the feat of Christ, forbid and purified by the blood of God's Son. Hence the vertical strip of the cross means unity, the reunion in God is only existing, which was performed by the feat of the Son of God.

At the same time, the Body of Christ is voluntaryly devoted for the salvation of the world performed by everything - from earthly to the more than more. It encompasses the incomprehensible secret of the crucifixion, the secret of the cross. What is given to us to see and intelligible in the cross, only bring us to this mystery, but does not open it. The cross has numerous meanings from other spiritual points of view. For example, in the house-building about the salvation of the human race, the jest means its vertical straight line justice and the immutability of the Divine Commandments, the directness of God's truth and truth that does not allow any violations.

This straight is intersecting the main transverse crossbar, meaning the love and mercy of God to the fallen and falling sinners, for which the Lord himself was sacrificed, who took the sins of all people. In the personal spiritual life of a person, the vertical line of the cross means the sincere desire of human soul from the Earth to God. But this desire intersects with love for people, to the near, which, no matter how it gives a person the opportunity to fully implement its. Theory desire for God. At certain steps of spiritual life, this is the daytime flour and a cross for the soul of human, well acquaintances to everyone who tries to go through the spiritual feat. This is also a mystery, for a person must constantly combine the love of God with love for neighbor, although this is not always it turns out. Many wonderful interpretations of different spiritual values \u200b\u200bof the Cross of the Lord are contained in the creations of the Holy Fathers.

Crest Sedmone

The saddled cross has one upper crossbar and skewed fit. The footage, as part of the redemption cross, has a very deep mystical and dogmatian meaning. Before the coming of Christ, the Old Testament priests brought a sacrifice on the golden foot attached to the throne. The throne, as well as Christians now, was consecrated through the world conjunction: "And the loving of them," the Lord said, "... the altar of the burnt and all accessories of him ... and the foot of him; And consecrate them, and there will be a great shrine: everything that touches them will heat up. " (Ex. 30, 26. 28-29).

So, the foot of the godfather is the part of the New Testament altar, which mystically indicates the priestly ministry of the Savior of the world who voluntarily paid his death for other people's sins. "On the cross, he performed the position of the priest who sacrifice himself to God and the Father for the Atonement of the Republic of Human," we read in the "Orthodox confession of the Oriental Patriarchs".

The foot of the Holy Cross opens one of his mysterious sides. The Lord says the lord of the prophet Isaiah: "We will glorify the foot of my legs" (Is. 60, 13). And David speaks in Psalm 99: "Excuse the Lord, our God, and worship his foot; Holy It! " So, the foot of the Holy Cross must worship we, holy honored him as the "foot of the victim of the New Testament" (see: Ex. 30, 28). The sadded cross can often be seen on the icons of the Northern Letter. In the historical museum, such a cross is depicted on the image of Paraski Friday with Life, on the form of St. Dimitri Solunsky, which in the Russian Museum, as well as on the "Crucifix" icon, dating from 1500 and by Peru the design of Dionysius. The saddombic crosses were erected at the domes of Russian temples. Such a cross towers above the entrance of the Resurrection Cathedral of the New-Jerusalem Monastery.

Cross six-spin

The six-pointed shape of the cross with the inclined lower crossbar is one of the ancient Russian crosses. For example, the Poklonnaya Cross arranged in 1161 by the St. Eurline, Prince Polotsk, was six-pointed. Why is the lower crossbind of this cross tilted? The meaning of this image is symbolic and very deep. The cross in the life of each person serves as Meril, as if the weights of his inner state, souls and conscience. So it was at that time when the Lord crucified on the cross in the middle of two robbers. In the liturgical text of the 9th hour service, the Cross is reading the Lord; The robber, Merilo righteously acquired your cross: "Owl UBU", by the two, I will do it in the same way from the lacerations, to the knowledge of the hell, the hardship, other theology. " One huratives "spoken by them to the robbing to hell" on Christ, he became like a terrible crossbar of the scales, bending down under this weight; Another robber released by the repentance and the words of the Savior: "You will fit with me in paradise" (Luke 23, 43), the cross assumes the kingdom of heaven.

Cross Quartwear "Doodle"

The cross is drowned - there is one of the favorite and widespread forms of the Cross. The Savior Great Tree was bloopily the blood, forever giving the cross his strength. Drops of blood thanking us Lord symbolize round drops in the seven-way of the four ends of the drop-shaped cross.

There were inappropriate crosses of this form and crosses chest. Often, a drowned cross for decorating liturgical books was used. The Greek Gospel of the XI century is kept in the Russian State Library, the title of which is decorated with a thinly executed drowsy cross.

Cross "Visitnik"

The cross, whose ends consist of some of the three semicircular leaves, sometimes with a bustling on each of them, is called a "tribal". This form is more often used for the manufacture of planted crosses. In addition, the trilding crosses are found in Russian coat of arms. From the "Russian Hercob" it is known that the Russian trilding cross, standing on the tilter of the crescent, was depicted on the coat of arms of Tiflis province. The golden crosses of the "Trilisters" were included in the coat of arms and some other cities: Troitskaya Penza Gubernia, Chernigov, the city of Spassk Tambov province.

Symbols and varieties of ancient crosses

Cross T-shaped, "Antonievsky"

This three-spin cross reached us from ancient times. On such a cross, it was painted, executed in the Old Testament times, and in the time of Moses, such a cross was called "Egyptian". The cross served as an execution tool in the Roman Empire. The cross consisted of two bars in the form of the Greek letter "T" (Tau). In the "Varnava of the Varnava", an excerpt from the book of the Prophet Ezekiel, where the T-shaped cross is transformed as a symbol of righteousness: "And the Lord told him: pass in the middle of the city, in the midst of Jerusalem, and on the people of people who mournful, sinking about all the vitations committed among him , Make a sign. " Here the word "sign" is translated by the name of the letter of the Hebrew alphabet "Tav" (that is, the literal translation would be: "Make Tav"), corresponding to the Greek and Latin letter T.

The author of the "Messages of the Varnava", referring to the Book of Being (see: Life. 14, 14), which says that the number of husbands of the house of Abrahamov, circumcised in the sign of the covenant with God, was 318, reveals the conversion meaning of this event. 318 \u003d 300 + 10 + 8, while 8 was designated in the Greek numbering of the letter "PI", 10 - letter "I", from which the name of Jesus begins; 300 was indicated by the letter "T", which, in his opinion, indicates the redemptive importance of the T-shaped cross, also the Tertullian writes: "Greek letter Tau. And our Latin T is the image of the cross. " According to legend, it was such a cross on his clothes the Rev. Anthony Great, why he is called "Antoniyevsky". Saint Zenon, Bishop of the city of Verona, put on the roof of the Basilica of the cross in the form of T.

Cross "Andreevsky"

The image of this cross is already found in the Old Testament. The Prophet Moses, by inspiration and the action of God, took copper and made the image of the cross and said to the people: "If you look at this image and you will tell you, you will be saved through it" (see: number. 21, 8; in. 8). The cross in the form of the Greek letter X (hiding also the name of Christ) is called "Andreevsky" because it was on such a cross that the Apostle Andrey was crucified. In 1694, Emperor Peter the Great ordered the image of the Andreevsky cross on the naval flag, which since then is called "Andreevsky" flag.

Cross Skimnic, or "Calvary"

During the times of Jesus Christ sentenced to execution on the cross of criminals, forced themselves to carry this to the tool to the frontal place. And the Savior of the world was executed as a criminal. He carried his heavy cross on Calvary himself. The death of Christ on the cross gave the cross of Golgotha \u200b\u200bfame to all times. He became a symbol of an uprising from the dead and acquiring eternal life in the kingdom of Jesus Christ, the greatest symbol of the strength and power of Christ. With the XI century, this fountain cross under the lower oblique crossbar has a symbolic image of Adam's head. According to legend, it was on Calvary, where Christ crucified, the foreman was buried by Adam. In the XVI century in Russia near the image of Calvary, the notation "M.L.R.B." appeared - The frontal place is crucified (Calvary translated from the Jewish - frontal place).

On the crosses of "Calvary" you can see other inscriptions " G. " - Golgotha \u200b\u200bMountain, "G. A "- Head of Adamov. In the images of the Calvy of the Kosti hands lying before the head, the right on the left, as-in burial or communion. The letters "K" and "T", depicted along the cross, mean a copy of the Sotnik Longgin and a cane with a sponge. The Cross "Calvary" rises on the steps that symbolize the path of Christ on Calvary. A total of three steps are depicted, they denote faith, hope and love. The inscriptions "IC" "XS" - the name of Jesus Christ is placed above the middle crossbar, and the word "Nika" is placed under it - which means the winner. On the title or near her - "Sn Bzhiy" - the Son of God.

Sometimes an abbreviation "I.N.S.I." is placed instead - Jesus Nazoria King Jewish. Over the title we see the words "Tsuri Poly" - the king of glory. The second name is "Skimnic" - this cross received because it was such crosses to embroider on the pleasures of the Great and Angelic Shima - three cross on Paramana and five on the camp - on the chest, on the chest, on both shoulders and back. The Cross of Golgotha \u200b\u200balso is also depicted on the burial Savane, which marks the preservation of vows, data during baptism.

Cross Monogram "Preconstantinovsky"

On the tombstones of the first centuries of Christianity, a monogram is found, consisting of the Greek initial letters named after Jesus Christpherrich, such monograms are drawn up by crossing them: namely the Greek letters "I" (Yot) and "X" (hee). The symbol is obtained in the form of the Andreevsky Cross, vertically crossed lard. Specialist in liturgical theology Archimandrite Gabriel believes that such a monogram is a "Primpted image of a cross". Suite monograms were depicted and later, in the postal monogram period, the image of the Preconstan Nonogram can be seen, for example, in the arches of the Archbishop Capella V century in Ravenna.

Cross "Anchor"

This symbol archaeologists have discovered for the first time at the Solun inscription III century. A. S. Uvarov in his book informs about the plates found by archaeologists in the caves of preterstate, on which there were no inscriptions, but only an image of a cruciform anchor. The ancient Greeks and the Romans also used this symbol, but the value was given a completely different value. For them, it was a symbol of hope for a solid earthly existence. For Christians, anchor, cruciform in shape, became a symbol of hope for the strength of the cruster - the kingdom of heaven, that the church is like a ship - will deliver everyone worthy of a quiet marina of the eternal life. Everyone can "take care of the preconceal hope (that is, a cross), which for the soul there is as an anchor safe and sturdy" (Heb. B, 18 "-19). This anchor, a symbolically covered cross from the cringe of the wrong, and faithful opening the genuine him Meaning, and there is our strong hope.

Cross "Monogram Constantine"

The Greek Historian of the Church of the Eusevian Pamfil in the book "On the Life of Blessed Constantine" indicates how the Holy Tsar Konstantin is equivalent to see a dream: the sky and the sign on it, and the Christ appeared to him and commanded the king to make a banner, similar to herself in heaven to eat it for protection against attack enemies. Konstantin, performing the will of God, built a banner. Eusevius Pamfil, who saw this banner, left a description: "It had the following type: on a long, covered with a golden spear was a transverse record, formed a sign of the cross, and on it a symbol of the saving name: two letters showed the name of Christ, and came out of the middle Letter "P".

Such a monogram the king then wore on the helmet. Konstantinovska I stood on many coins of Emperor Constantine and was generally quite widely used. The image of it is found on the bronze coin of Emperor Decaria, mined in Lydia in the middle of the 3rd century, on many tombstones. A. S. Uvarov in his "Christian symbolism" gives an example of such a monogram in the form of frescoes in the caves of St. Sict.

Catacomb cross, or"Victory Sign"

The Holy Tsar Konstantin testified the miracle that happened to him on October 28, 312, when Emperor Konstantin with the army was against Maksenia, concluded in Rome. "Once at the midday clock of the day, when the sun began to lean out of the world, I saw my own eyes, and lying the sign of the cross with the inscription" SIM WAR! "," Testified by the Holy Tsar Konstantin. This spectacle struck the emperor and all the army. which contemplated the miracle appeared.

The wonderful phenomenon of the cross among the White Day is witnessed by many writers, the modernists of the emperor. One of them is especially important - a confessor of Artemia before Julian Apostate, who said at the interrogation of Artemy: "Christ called Constantine, when he led the war against Maxense, showing him at noon" the sign of the cross, radiantly shining over the sun and star-like Roman letters predicted to him at war.

Formerly there, we saw his sign and read the letters, saw him and all the army: many witnesses to this and in your troops, if you want to ask them "(ch. 29). The cross was the fourth mold, and this image of the cross, since God himself showed the sovereignty of the fourth round cross, became particularly important for Christians. "In the catacomb and in general, on the ancient monuments, there are incomparably more often cross crosses than any other form," says Archimandrite Gabriel in the "Liturgica Guide". Emperor Konstantin won over Maxentius, who did criminal, wicked things in Rome God was with him. So, the cross, the exorbitant of the gentlemen of a shameful execution, became a sign of the victory, the celebration of Christianity, the subject of reverence and reverence.

Such crosses have become put on contracts and mean a signature "worthy of all confidence". This image also fastened the acts and decisions of cathedrals. "We command all the Cathedral Act, which is approved by the sign of the Holy Cross of Christ, so to keep and so it is, as it is," says one of the imperial regulations.

Cross monogram "postcallonestannovsky"

The cross is the Monogram "Poskonstantinovskaya" is a compound of letters "T" (Greek. "Tav") and "R" (Greek. "RO"). With the letter "P" begins the Greek word "PAX", meaning "king" and symbolizing king Jesus. "P" is located above the letter "T", symbolizing its cross. Connected in this monogram, they remind together words that our entire power and wisdom in the crucified king (see: 1 Cor. 1, 23-24). The apostles, preaching the resurrection of the crucified Christ, called Jesus king, honored his origin from the Tsarist David dynasty, unlike the self-pronounced and power-loving high priests who killed the power of God from the kings. Outdoor calling Christ to the king, the apostles suffered from the clergy through the deceived people strong persecution. Saint Justin interprets: "And this monogram served as the sign of the Cross of Christ." She received an extensive spread later "Monogram Constantine" - in the V century. Poshonstantinov monogram is depicted in the tomb of St. Callista. It also meets on Greek plates found in Megara and on the tombstones of the cemetery of St. Matthew in the city of Dash.

Cross monogram "Sun-shaped"

In the 4th century, Konstantinovsky monogram was changed: the letter I was added to it in the form of a trait crossing the monogram across. This turned out to be a sun-shaped cross, in which three letters were connected - "I" -Isus and "XP" - Christ. This sun-shaped cross symbolizes the execution of the prophecy about the long-faced and all-facing force of the Cross of Christ: "And for you, who weighs before the name, will be the sun of the truth and healing in his rays" - so the Lord graduated from the Lord of the Prophet Malachius (Mal. 4, 2 ~ 3) . And other words reveal us the symbolism of the Sun-shaped cross: "For the Lord God is the Sun" (Ps. 84, 12).

Cross "Refractory-Konstantinovsky"

This cross, in shape resembling "Maltese", has a word on the four sides of the Greek "IC.xc. Nika ", which means," Jesus Christ - the winner. " For the first time, these words were written by gold on three large crosses in the Tsargrad equivalent to the emperor Konstantin. " The Savior, the winner of hell and death says: "You're going to sit down with me on the throne, as I won and sat down with my father on his throne" (apoc. 3, 21). It is this cross with the addition of words "IS.HS. Nick "is printed, along an ancient tradition, on prosforas.

Cross Monogram "Trident"

On the ancient monument of the sculptor, Europia carved the inscription, talking about the adoption of her baptism. At the end of the inscriptions placed a monogram-trident. What does this monogram symbolize? Passing near the sea of \u200b\u200bGalilean, the Savior saw fishermen throwing the network into the water, and told them: "Go for me, and I will make you the cathers of the people" (MF. 4, 19). The people of parables, Christ said: "Like the kingdom of the Heavenly Nevenim, thrown into the sea and the capturing fish of all kinds" (MF. 13.47). A. S. Uvarov in the "Christian symbolism" indicates: "Recognizing the symbolic meaning of the kingdom of heaven in projectiles for fisheries, we can assume that all formulas relating to this concept were iconically expressed by these symbols." And the trident, who previously caught fish, is also a symbol of the kingdom of heaven. Consequently, the troggy monogram of Christ has long met the involvement in the sacrament of baptism, as a court in the network of God's kingdom.

Cross "Ternist Crown"

This cross has the shape of the eight-pointed cross, the second crossbar of which in the center is circled with a circle with the edges along the edge, symbolizing the crown. When our Adam was sinned, the Lord told him: "The earth is cursed for you ... Turning and the wolf will grab you" (Gen. 3, 17-18). And the new sinless Adam - Jesus Christ - voluntarily took over and other people's sins, and death, and ternary suffering, leading to her. "Warriors, a gossip of a crown of Tern, laid him on his head," the gospels say, "we were healed by the wounds" (Is. 53, 5). That is why the thorns walled for Christians a symbol of victory and awards, the "crown of truth" (2 Tim 4, 8), "the crown of glory" (1 Pet. 5, 4), "the crown of life" (James 1, 12; Apoc. 2, 10).

The cross with a thorns crown was known in different Christian peoples of antiquity. When Vera Christian spread in other lands, the cross "Ternist Crown" was perceived by these new Christians. For example, the cross of such a form is depicted on the pages of the ancient Armenian handwritten book of the period of the Cilician Kingdom. And the image of the Cross Cross is used in Russia. Such a cross is placed on the icon "The glorification of the Cross" of the XII century, located in the Tretyakov Gallery. The image of the cross with a ternim crown is also embroidered on the Pokrovka of "Calvary" - the monastic contribution of Queen Anastasia Romanova.

Cross Viececourse

This shape of the cross is particularly often used when decorating temples, church utensils, saint closures. Similar crosses enclosed in a circle, we see on the Holy Openers; They see them on the bishops of the "three universal teachers"

Cross "Grape Line"

The cross having an inclined footage, and from the bottom end, as it were, two stems with sheets and with a grape brush on each. "I am vine, and you branches; Who dwells in me, and I am in it, he brings a lot of fetus "(John 15, 5). The Savior's Savior himself called himself and since then the image has become deeply symbolized by the main importance of the vine for Christians, "writes A. S. Uvarov," he was in a symbolic connection with the sacrament of communion. Coming, we are in the Lord, and he is in us, and then we get a lot of "fetus of spiritual". "

Cross petal

The quarter-wall cross, the ends of which are created in the form of petals, and the middle that connects them, has a kind of a round seed of a flower. Such a cross wore the wonderworker on the Omophospore. The petal cross is most often used to decorate church buildings. Petal crosses We encounter, example, in the mosaic of the XI century Kiev Cathedral of St. Sophia.

Greek cross

The Greek Cross is quarterly, is built by perpendicular intersection of two equal lengths along the length of segments. Equality of vertical and horizontal lines indicates the harmony of the heavenly and earthly world. The cross is four-sided, equilateral, there is a sign of the Cross of the Lord, dogmatically meaning that all the ends of the universe, four sides of the world, are equal to the cross of Christ. This type of cross symbolizes the Church of Christ in the unity of the invisible and visible parties.

The eyes of the invisible church - Christ. He leads the visible church consisting of clearing and laity, priests and ordinary believers. All rites and sacraments committed in the visible church are gaining strength due to the action of the invisible church. The Greek Cross was traditional for Byzantium and appeared at the same time when the Latin cross appeared in the Roman church, which has a vertical beam longer horizontal. The Greek Cross is considered an ancient Russian cross. According to church legend, Holy Prince Vladimir brought out of Corsun, where he was baptized, it was such a cross and installed it on the shore of the Dnieper in Kiev. Therefore, he is called "Korsunsky". Such a cross is carved at the tomb of Prince Yaroslav Wise in the Kiev Sofia Cathedral. Sometimes the "Greek Cross" is depicted inscribed in a circle, symbolizing the cosmological sphere of heavenly.

Four cross Latin cross

The four-ring cross with the elongated lower part highlights the idea of \u200b\u200bthe long-suffering of Divine Love, who gave the Son of God to the godfather for the sins of the world. Such crosses first appeared in the III century in the Roman catacombs, where Christians were going for worship services. Crosses of such a form were as common as Greek. The manifold of the forms of the cross was recognized by the Church quite natural. According to the expression of the Rev. Feodor Studit, the Cross every form is the true cross. "We are a variety of sensual signs, we are hierarchically erected to a uniform connection with God" (John Damaskin). The cross is such a form and now consume some Eastern Orthodox churches. The rack of this cross is much longer than the beam. The rack and beam intersect so that the two horizontal shoulders and the upper vertical part have the same length. The lower part of the rack is two thirds of the entire length.

This cross symbolizes first of all the suffering of Christ the Savior. A strong impetus for reading the direct image of the cross, not a monogram, was the acquisition of an honest life-giving cross of the Mother of St. King Constantine, equivalent to Elena. As the direct image spread, it acquires gradually the crucifix form. In the Christian west, such a cross is the most common. Often, zealous admirers of eight-stoves do not recognize the Latin Cross. Old Believers, for example, call it dismissively "Latin's roof" or "Ryzhsky Kryzh", which means the Roman Cross.

But it is not necessary to forget that, as written in the gospel, the execution of the Cross spread through the Empire exactly the Romans and was considered Roman. "The cross is allope, the fourth-end strength, the apostles wellness," walks in the "canon honest cross" of St. Gregory Sinaita. The divine power of the cross contains all the earthly, heavenly and underwriter. "CE FIRST Cross, had a height, depth and breadth," walk in the fourth song of the canon. Saint Dmitry Rostovsky says: "And not in terms of the number of wood, no number of the cross, the cross of Christ is worshiped by us, but by Christ himself, which the blood of which did it. Showing a wonderful strength, any cross does not act by itself, but by the power of the crucifier of Christ and the calling of the Most Holy Name. "

Cross "Patriarch"

In shape, this is a six-pointed cross, in which the upper crossbar is parallel to the bottom, but shorter it. The Patriarch Cross began to be used from the middle of the past millennium. It was this form of a six-pointed cross was depicted on the press of the governor of the Byzantine emperor in the city of Korsuni. Such a cross woven Rev. Abraham Rostovsky. Such a cross and in the Christian West were common - he is called Lorensky there.

Cross "Papal"

This form of the eight-pointed cross has three crossbars, of which the upper and lower one size is smaller than the average. The lower crossbar, or the foot, is not obliteled, and at right angles. Why the foot is depicted at a right angle, and not as on the Orthodox Orthodox, answer the words of Dimitri Rostovsky: "I love the foot of the godfather, there is no oblique, not oblique, and the custom of the crescents and stencils, as the churches that are not a contradictory, do not challenge.

Cross Round "T-shirt"

Once upon a time, long before the coming of Christ, in the east there was a custom to drive cruciform bread. It was a symbolic action that meant that the cross dividing the whole on the part connects those who used these parts, heals the separation. According to the testimony, Horace and Marciala, the twist cubs cubs are crosswise crucible to make it easier to break it. In a direct connection with the mysteriousness of communion, on the pitfall, the pelons and other things were depicted bread as a symbol of the body of Christ, refractable for our sins. Such round breads, divided into four parts of the cross, are depicted in the inscriptions of the Sintofion. Breads separated by six parts are available on the tombstone from the Cave of Saint Lukina (III century). The circle means, according to the explanation of the Holy Clement Alexandria, that "the Son of God is an endless circle, in which all the forces converge."

Cross "rapid" with crescent

The cross is four-sided with a semi-dryer in the form of a crescent below, where the ends of the crescent are turned up, - very ancient view of the cross. Most often, such crosses were set and put on the domes of temples. The cross and semicircles mean anchor of salvation, the anchor of our hope, the anchor of rest in the heavenly kingdom, which is very consistent with the concept of the temple, as a ship floating in the kingdom of God. There are other interpretations of this symbol: Crescent is the Bowl of the Eucharistic, in which the body of Christ is located; This is a cradle in which Jesus Christ is lying. According to another interpretation, the moon marks the font, in which the church, having broken in Christ, is taught in him, in the sun truth.

Cross "Maltese", or "Georgievsky"

The handle of the bishop rod is decorated with a cross, called "Maltese", or "Georgievsky", cross. The Patriarch Jacob's prophetically honored the cross, when "faith ... bowed, - as the Apostle Paul says, - on the top of his rod" (Heb. 11, 21). And Saint John Damaskin clarifies: "The rod who served the image of the cross". Therefore, and towers over the rod Cross. In addition to the ever-widespread church consumption, the form of this cross was officially adopted by the Order of St. John Jerusalem's formed on the island of Malta. After that, the Cross himself became known as Maltese. And the name "Georgievsky" this cross received with the institution of a premium sign - the Cross of St. George the Victorious. Golden "Maltese" crosses entered the emblems of many Russian cities.

Cross Stainer "Braided"

Already in the title of this cross, there is basic information about it. The surface of it consists of a variety of weaving elements. Weaving as a type of decorative art existed already in the ancient Christian times. It is known in embroidery, thread on stone and wood, as well as in a mosaic. But the images of wicker crosses in the decoration of handwritten and old-line books are especially common. Often this shape of the cross is found as a decoration in Bulgarian and Russian old-line books.

Cross "Crypidoid"

The cross, consisting of field lily flowers, in Slavyansky called "crosses in rural", is the name of the "cringed" cross. This cross arose in a reminder of the words of the Savior: "I," said the Lord, - ... Lily Dolin! " (Song. 2. 1). The ancient philosopher and writer Origen writes about Christ: "For the sake of me, which is, he is coming to the valley, and come to the valley, is made by a leaf. Instead of the Tree of Life, which was planted in paradise God, he became a flower of a whole field, that is, the whole world and all the earth. " Crosses were widely used in Byzantium. In Russia, wearing a native crosses of this form. In the book "Russian copper casting" are placed images of crosses with the cringe ends of the XI-XII centuries.

Cross Monogram "Pastor Staff"

The sample of the Cross of Christ Christians consider the rod of Moses. The Lord told the Moses Staff miraculous power as a sign of pastoral power. The image of the Cross, the Prophet Moses split and joined the water of the Black Sea. The Lord, the mouth of the Prophet Micah, says to his only beef son: "Pasi people your rod of your sheep heritage". The shepherd symbol is depicted in the first, which crosses the letter "X", having two meanings - "the vertical cross and the first letter name of Christ. A. S. Uvarov, describing the findings of the catibrome period by this image, calls them a" monogram of the Savior ".

Cross in the form of Egyptian hieroglyph "Anh"

The cross in the form of the Egyptian hieroglyph "Anh" is one of the oldest, cultivated Christians. Hieroglyphs, as you know, denote not letters, but concepts. The hieroglyph "Anh" denotes the concept of "life". Cross Christians are referred to as life-giving. The Christian Cross is a tree of life. "Who found me, he found life," said Christ the mouth of Rasporota Solomon! (Proverbs 8.35) And on the embodiment, I repeated: "I am resurrection and life" (in. 11, 25). For the image of the livery cross, the Christian already from the first centuries used the anch hieroglyph, which resembles it in shape and denoting "life".

Cross "gammatic"

This cross is called "gammmatic" because it consists of the Gamma Gamma letter. Already the first Christians in Roman catacombs depicted a gammatic cross. In Byzantium, this form was often used to decorate the gospels, church utensils, temples, embroidered on the velides of the Byzantine saint. In the 9th century, by order, the Empress Theodora was manufactured by the gospel, decorated with a golden ornament from gammatic crosses. The Quarterly Cross is depicted in the "Mathenadaran" book surrounded by twelve gammma crosses.

And the form of this cross has long been used in Russia. It is depicted on many church subjects of the Domongolian period, in the form of a mosaic under the dome of the Cathedral of the Hagia Sophia Kiev, in the ornament of the doors of the Nizhny Novgorod Cathedral. Hammatic crosses are embroidered on the Feloni of the Moscow Temple of Nikola, which in puffs. The gammatic cross used to put on their things as a sign that brings happiness, the Holy Martyr Empress Alexander Fedorovna. Holy Empress painted such a cross with a pencil in the house of Ipatiev over the bed of his son and on the door jamb on the day of arrival of the royal family in Yekaterinburg.

About a reverent honoring of the native cross

The great Russian elders advised that it was always necessary to wear a native cross and never to remove him and anywhere before the death. "A Christian without a cross," wrote the old man Savva, is a warrior without weapons, and the enemy can easily defeat him. " The native cross is because it is called that he is worn on the body, under clothes, never putting out (outside the cross is only priests). This does not mean that the native cross must be hidden and hiding under any circumstances, but still deliberately put it on everyone's review is not accepted. The marsh charter is established to kiss his native cross at the end of the evening prayer.

Per minute danger or when the soul is anxious, to kiss your cross and read the words "save and save" on his turnover. "Do not wear a cross as on a hanger, - often repeated the Pskovo-Pechersky Older Savva, - Christ left on the Cross Light and Love . The rays of gratifying light and love come from the cross. The cross drives off evil spirits. Kiss your cross in the morning and in the evening, do not forget to kiss him, inhale these rays of grace, outgoing, they are invisible to go into the soul, heart, conscience, character.

Under the action of these grateful rays, a wicked person becomes pious. Kissing your cross, pray for close sinners: drunks, harlists and others who know. Through your prayers, they will fix and will be good, for the heart of the heart of the news is supplied. The Lord loves us all. He suffered for everyone for love for love, and we must love everyone for him for him, even their enemies. If you start the day, giving up the grace from your cross, then you will spend sacred all day. We will not forget to do it, it is better not to eat than forget about the cross! ".

Prayer of the elder SavaFor kissingCross

The old man of Savva made prayers what to read when kiss kissing. Here is one of them:

"Proles, Lord, a drop of holy blood of your blood in my heart, withered from passions and sins and uncleanness of spiritual and bodily. Amen. Imget weighty fate save me and affinity, and my knowledge (names). "

You can not wear a native cross as an amulet as an ornament. The native cross and the godfather is only an external expression that should be in the heart of a Christian: humility, faith, hope for the Lord. Cross is a real force. Many miracles were committed and accomplished. But the cross, the cross becomes only under the condition of faith and reverence. "The cross does not make wonders in your life. Why? "The holy righteous John Kronstadt will ask and gives the answer:" According to the unbelief of yours. " Having put on the chest of a native cross or autumn himself with a cross sign, we, Christians, we testify that they are ready to bear the cross is badly, humbly, voluntarily, with joy, because they love Christ and want to compare with him, for him. Without faith and reverence, it is impossible to autumn ourselves or other congestion.

The whole life of a Christian, from the date of birth to the last breath on earth, and even after death, is accompanied by a cross. The congestion is autonomicated by a Christian when waking up (it is necessary to accustom himself to be the first movement) and when going to bed - the last movement. A Christian is baptized before and after biting food, before and after the teachings, when entering the street, before the start of every case, before the adoption of the medicine, before opening the received letter, with unexpected, joyful and sorrowful news, at the entrance to someone else's house, on the train, A steamat, in general, at the beginning of every path, walking, traveling, before swimming, visiting patients, going to court, to interrogate, in prison, in a link, before the operation, before the fight, in front of a scientific or other report, before the meeting and meeting and meeting and etc. The godmond sign must be created with all attention, with fear, with trepidation and fromextreme reverence. (I believed on the man three big fingers, say: "In the name of the Father", then, lowering the hand in the same form on the chest, say: "And the Son", carrying a hand on the right shoulder, then on the left, say: "and the Holy Spirit ".

Making it on this holy sign of the cross, enter into the word "amin". Or, when you depict the cross, you can say: "Lord Jesus Christ, the Son of God, nice me, sinful. Amen ".) Demons, as the reverend Simeon writes New theologians, fear the image of the cross and do not to see the sign of the cross and in the air, but they run away from him immediately. "If you always eat the holy cross to help yourself," the evil will not happen to you, and the ulcer will not get closer to your dwelling "(Ps. 90.10). Instead of a shield, protect yourself with an honest cross, capture them with their members and heart. And not a hand only believes the cross sign on himself, but in thoughts capture them all their occupation, and the entrance of their own, and the existence of its own at all time, and the seat, and the uprising, and the bed, and any ministry ... for a very It's hard for weapons, I.Nikhto cannot never make you harm if you are protected "(Rev. Efrem Syria).

Glory, Lord, your cruster is honest!

About symbols of playing cards

The motives of outrageous desecration and saint cross is conscious cross-monitoring and crosses are quite explained. But when we see Christians drawn into this vigilant case, it is impossible to be silent, because - according to the word of St. Vasily the Great - "God will betray silence"! The so-called "playing cards" existing, unfortunately, in many homes, is an instrument of non-communications, through which a person certainly comes in contact with the demons. All four carcass "suit" imply nothing but the cross of Christians along with other and equal rights to Christians with sacred objects: a spear, a sponge and nails, that is, all that was the tools of suffering and the death of the Divine Redeemer. And by ignorance, many people throwing "in the fool", allow themselves to be the gentlemen of the Lord, taking, for example, a map with the image of the Cross "Trilisnik", that is, the Cross of Christ, who worships polivary, and, by violating it with words (sorry. Lord !) "Trefa", that translated from Yiddish means "bad" or "evil!" Yes, it is small about that, these crisps, who won in suicide, essentially believe in that. That the cross this "beats" some brush "trumping six", not at all knowing that the "trump card" and "kosher" is written, for example, Latin. equally.

It would be time to clarify the true rules for all the card games, in which "in fools" remain all players: they are that the ritual sacrifices, in Jewish-called "kosher" talmudists (that is, "clean"), allegedly have the power over Life-giving cross! If you know that playing cards are impossible to use, other than the dedication of Christian shrines, the role of maps and in "fortune telling" will be extremely clearly understood by the role of maps and in the "fortune telling". Does it be necessary to prove that any of the maps touched to the deck and who did not bring sincere repentance for confessions in sins of blasphemy and blasphemy is guaranteed to recruit in hell? So, if "Trephs" is the hula of the fissal gamblers on specifically, the pictures called the crosses, called them "to the baptism", then then mean - "Vini", "Worms" and "Bubnes"? I will not bother myself by the translation and these curses into Russian, but it will be better to open the new covenant for shedding the tribe of God of God unbearable for them. The saint of Ignatius Bryanchaninov in an imperative ignition throws: "Get acquainted with the spirit of the times, I study him. In order to avoid the influence of it, "(edema. p. 549). The ladder of "Vini", or otherwise, "peaks", hoolitis gospel peak, that is, Spear of St. Martyr Longgin Sotnik. As the Lord predicted about his run, the litters of the Prophet Zechariah, which "led on the one that was pierced" (12; 10), and happened: "One of the warriors (Longin) pierced him to his edges" (John 19; 34).

The lattice of "worms" hoolit is a gospel sponge on canes. As Christ warned about his poisoning, the mouths of Rasporotok David, which were groa "gave me in the food, and in the thirst for mine I dressed me a vinegar (Ps. 68; 22), and so came true:" One of them took a sponge, drove away by vinegar and , imposing on a cane, gave him to drink "(MF. 27; 48). Mattter "Bubne" Hulitis Evangelical forged quad quadrid nails, who were nailed by the arms and feet of the Savior to the Tree of the Cross. As the Lord prophesied about his cloves, the mouths of the Psalm Pevid's psalmope that "pierced my hands and my feet" (Ps. 22; 17), so it turned out: the Apostle Thomas, who said "If I don't see his wounds from nails, and not I will put the fingers of mine in the wound from the nails, and I will not put my hands in his rib, I will not believe "(in. 20; 25)," believed, because I saw "(in, 20; 29); And the apostle Peter, referring to the tribesmen, testified: "Israeli's men" said, "Jesus Nazori (...) You took and. naughty (to the cross) with hands (Romans) of lawless, killed and; But God resurrected him "(Acts 2; 22, 24). Crucified with Christ the unrecorded robber, like the current gamblers, hooling the godpanis of the Son of God and, on the cordiality, in the unrecognizance, forever went to "Upda; and the robber is prudent, submitting an example, reworked on the cross and thus invested eternal life with God. So we will inher To remember firmly that for us, Christians, there can be no other object of hope and hopes, no other support in life, no other unifying and inspiring the banner, except for the only saving sign of the invincible Cross of the Lord!

Cross - a symbol of very ancient. What did he symbolize the Savior's godfather? Which cross is considered more correct - the Orthodox or Catholic four-spin ("Kryzh"). What is the reason for the image of Jesus Christ on the cross with crossed steps in Catholics and detached feet in the Orthodox tradition.

Heromers Adrian (Pashin) is responsible:

In different religious traditions, the cross symbolized different concepts. One of the most common - our peace meeting with the world of spiritual. For the Jewish people since the Roman rule, the cross, the crucifix was the method of shameful, cruel execution and caused an insurmountable fear and horror, but, thanks to Christ the winner, he became welcome trophy, causing joyful feelings. Therefore, the Holy Ippolit Roman, the husband of the apostolic, exclaimed: "And the church has its trophy over death - this is the cross of Christ, which she is on Himself," and St. Paul, the apostle languages, wrote in his message: "I wish to boast ... Only the Cross of the Lord of our Jesus Christ "(Gal. 6, 14).

In the West, the most commonly used is the four-star cross (Fig. 1), which the Old Believers are called (for some reason in Polish) "Latin's roof" or "Rymski", which means the Roman Cross. According to the Gospel, the crossed execution was distributed by the Empire precisely by the Romans and, of course, was considered Roman. "And not in terms of the number of woods, the cross of Christ is worshiped by us, but by Christ himself, the most famous blood of whose blood has risen," says Saint Dmitry Rostovsky. "And showing a wonderful strength, any cross does not act by himself, but by the power of the crucifier on him Christ and the calling of the Most Holy Name."

Starting from the III century, when, for the first time, such crosses appeared in Roman catacombs, the entire Orthodox East and today uses this shape of the cross as even to everyone else.

The eight-pointed Orthodox cross (Fig. 2) most corresponds to the historically reliable form of the cross, on which Christ is already crucified, as they testify to Terertullian, the Holy Irina Lyon, St. Justin philosopher and others. "And when Christ, the Lord on his shoulders, wearing a cross then the cross was still four-spin; Because there was no Title on it, nor foot. There was no foot, because Christ is not raised on the cross and warriors, not knowing what place to get the legs of Christ, they did not attach the foot, finished it already on Calvary "(Saint Dimitri Rostovsky). There was also no Title on the cross before the crucifixion of Christ, because, as the gospel reports, first "crucified it" (in. 19, 18), and then only "Pilate wrote an inscription and put on the cross" (John 19, 19 ). It was first that I shared the "clothes" of the warriors "attended it" (MF. 27, 35), and only then "put his inscription on his head, meaning his guilt: this is Jesus, the king of Jewish" (Matt. 27, 37).

Ancient times also known images of the Crucifixion of the Savior. Until IX century, Christ was inclied on the cross not only alive, risen, but also triumphant (Fig. 3), and only in the X century images of the Dead Christ appeared (Fig. 4).

From the oldest times, cross-crucifixes, both in the east and in the west, had a crossbar to stop the crucifier feet, and his legs were depicted by their nail separately (Fig. 3). The image of Christ with crossed feet, naught one nail (Fig. 4), for the first time appeared, as an innovation, in the West in the second half of the XIII century.

From the Orthodox dogma of the cross (or atonement) undoubtedly implies the idea that the death of the Lord is the redemption of everyone, the vocation of all nations. Only a cross, unlike other executions, gave the opportunity to Jesus Christ to die with open hands, calling on "all ends of the earth" (Isa. 45, 22).

Therefore, in the tradition of Orthodoxy - to depict the Savior of the Almighty as already the resurrected cruster holding and calling in its arms of the entire Universe and carrying Novokavtaya altar - a cross.

And traditionally the Catholic image of the crucifix, with the hands of Christ, on the contrary, has a task to show how it all happened, to portray the death sufferings and death, and not at all that essentially there is an eternal fruit of the cross - his celebration.

Orthodoxy invariably teaches that all sinners are needed for the humble assimilation of the fetus of the redemption - the Holy Spirit sent by the sinless redemption, which the Catholics are not understood in pride, seeking participation in sinless, and therefore the redeective passionists of Christ and thereby flowing into a cross-country heresy "Sumpassing".

Crosses: the most common forms. The class of signs in the form of identical geometric elements, widely used in emblems and heraldry. Published on a web portal

Crosses: The most common forms

The overall symbol of humanity is the cross. It can be found in the most ancient religions, in the most ancient civilizations: in Mesopotamia, Egypt, China, etc. Who invented the cross? No one - for it exists in nature. This is an ancient universal symbol and above all - a symbol of communication of micro and macrocosm, spirit and matter in their compound. The cross symbolizes the involvement of the spirit (vertical line) during (horizontal line).

The shape of the cross is diverse. They differ in the number of crossbars, and the number of cross, and proportions.

Greek cross

Greek cross

The cross is the simplest shape: square, with ends of equal length, horizontal crossbar is located in the middle of the vertical. Cross of St. George. This sign, also called Crux Quadrata, was used from prehistoric times in various values \u200b\u200b- as a symbol of the God of the Sun, the Rain God, the elements of which the world was created: air, land, fire and water. In early Christianity, the Greek cross symbolized Christ. It is also a symbol of secular, earthly power, but received from God. Used in medieval heraldry.

Cross Molot.

Cross Molot.

Cross hammer is a type of Greek cross. One of the main heraldic crosses is called this from the French Potenee - "Support", since its form looks like supports used in antiquity.

Latin Cross

Latin Cross

Another name of the Latin Cross is a long cross. Its horizontal crossbar is located above the middle of the vertical crossbar. This is the most common Christian symbol in the Western world. It is believed that Christ was removed from such a cross, hence the other names: Cross Crucifixes, the Cross of the West, the Cross of Life, the Cross of Suffering. This form, so similar to the man who spread his hands, symbolized God in Greece and China long before the appearance of Christianity. The Egyptians rising from the heart cross symbolized kindness.

Cross of St. Peter

Cross of St. Peter

The Cross of St. Peter is an inverted Latin Cross. From the IV century, it is one of the symbols of St. Peter, which is believed to be crucified down on an inverted cross in 65 N. e. During the rule in Rome Emperor Nero.

Inverted Latin Cross, that is, the cross of St. Peter, with pointed ends - the emblem of the Order of the Templars.

Andreevsky Cross (oblique cross)

Andreevsky Cross (oblique cross)

It is also called diagonal or oblique. On such a cross adopted the martyrdom of the apostle Saint Andrei. The Romans used this symbol to designate the border, the passage beyond which is prohibited. The oblique cross also symbolizes perfection, the number 10. In Heraldry, this cross is called the Saltir.

St. Andrey is a patron of Russia, and when Peter the Great created the Russian Navy (in the 1690s), he accepted for the Fleet Fleet Blue Skit Cross on a white background.

Tau-Cross (Cross of St. Anthony)

Tau-Cross

Cross of St. Anthony

Tau-Cross is named so due to the similarity with the Greek letter "T" (Tau). He symbolizes life, the key to the supreme power, phallus. In ancient Egypt - a sign of fertility and life. In biblical times - symbol of protection. Scandinavians have a thorah hammer. In the Christian churches - the Cross of St. Anthony (founder of Christian monastics, IV century). From the beginning of the XIII century - the emblem of the Francis of Assisi. In Heraldry, this is an almighty cross. Also known as the "Hangs Cross" because of the similarities with the gallows, as she was done in antiquity.

ANKH (Egyptian Cross)

Ankh - the key to the goal of death

Ankh is the most significant symbol of the ancient Egyptians, also known as "cross with a handle." In this cross, two symbols are combined: a circle (as a symbol of eternity) and a Tau-Cross suspended to him (as a symbol of life); However, they denote immortality, eternal life. Ankh also personifies the "life that comes", "the time that will come," hidden wisdom, the key to the secrets of life and knowledge, as well as the key that opens the gate of death. Perhaps he symbolizes the tree of life, as well as the sun rising above the horizon.

Maltese cross

Maltese cross

The Maltese cross is also called eight-pointed. He symbolizes the four great gods of Assyria: RA, Ana, Belus and Hea. The emblem of the Knights of the Maltese Order. The white cross of this shape on a black background from the very beginning was the emblem of the military and religious Order of Hospitallers (John), who transferred their headquarters to Malta (in 1529) - hence this name.

In the philatelation, the Maltese cross is the first post-post stamp, which fell postage from 1840 to 1844.

Patriarchal Cross

Patriarchal Cross

The patriarchy cross is used by archbishopas and cardinals. It is also called the Catholic Cross of Cardinal and a cross with two crossbars. The upper crossbar is a title (name-writing board) introduced by order of Pittius Pilate. Under the title Archbishop Cross, he is often found on the coat of arms of the archbishop.

This cross is widespread in Greece and is sometimes called Anzhui or Larring. Sometimes it is mistakenly called Lorran Cross.

Papal Cross

Papal Cross

The papal cross with three horizontal crossbars is also known as the triple cross. Used in processions in which dad participates. Three cross lines symbolize power and tree of life.

Russian Cross

Russian Cross (Cross of Saint Lazar

This eight-spin cross is the cross of the Russian Orthodox Church. It is also called the East Cross or the Cross of Saint Lazar. The symbol of the Orthodox Church in Eastern Mediterranean, Eastern Europe and Russia.

The top of three transverse crossbars - the title, where the name was written, as in the Patriarchal Cross, the lower crossbar is beveled.

Cross Konstantin (sign "Chi-Ro")

Cross Konstantin

Magic seal with the symbol of "chi-ro" (Agrippa, 1533)

The cross of Constantine is a monogram, known as "chi-po" ("hee" and "ro" - the first two letters of the name of Christ in Greek). The legend states that this cross Emperor Konstantin saw in the sky on the road to Rome, along with the cross he saw the inscription "SIM Win." According to another legend, he saw a cross in a dream on the night before the battle and heard the voice: "You will win with this). It is said that this prediction consisted of Constantine into Christianity. And the monogram became the first generally accepted symbol of Christianity - as a sign of victory and salvation.

Rosencraser cross

Cross with a rose (Rosencraser)

Another name is the cross of roses (five-floor). The emblem of the Order of Rosenkraucers. Symbol of harmony, center, hearts. Rose and cross symbolize the resurrection and the atonement of Christ. This sign is understood as the divine Light of the Universe (Rose) and the Earth World of suffering (cross), like a feminine beginning and male, material and spiritual, spiritual and sensual love. The cross with a rose is a symbol of a dedicated, who thanks to the work on himself managed to develop love, life-giving and transforming matter.

Masonic cross

Masonic Cross (Cross in Circle)

The Masonic Cross is a cross, inscribed in the circle. It means holy place and space center. Four dimensions of space in the celestial circle symbolize the totality, which includes the Great Spirit. This cross personifies the cosmic tree that spreads horizontally over the Earth and relates to heaven through the vertical central axis. Such a cross or was performed in stone, or depicted on the walls of Roman gothic temples, symbolizing their consecration.

Pacifist cross

Pacific cross (cross of the world)

This symbol was developed by Gerald Holt in 1958 for the movement of the nuclear disarmament that created then. To develop a symbol, he used a semaphore alphabet: made a cross from its symbols - for "n" (Nuclear, nuclear) and "D" (disarmament, disarmament) - and placed them in a circle, which symbolized the global agreement. Soon this cross was one of the most common signs of the 60s of the twentieth century, symbolizing both the world and anarchy.